The aftershocks of the battle still rippled through space. Chen Beixun sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, having gained some insight from the fight.
"Water Law is both soft and unyielding, utterly cold..."
"I've gained some insight. It's strange—so much time spent in arduous cultivation is worth less than a single battle."
Though he had gained some insight, he was still a ways from the threshold of the Law.
Chen Beixun rose to his feet and brushed the snow from his clothes. "Time to go." Then he shot into the sky and sped away as a streak of light.
"Once I get the treasure, I'll celebrate properly," Chen Beixun thought. Then he frowned and reminded himself, "That's tempting fate. Don't celebrate before the battle's over."
Chunqiu suddenly warned him, "There are people fighting 10,000 kilometers straight ahead. One is at the ninth tier of Universe Level, and the other is at the first tier of Domain Lord!"
Chen Beixun narrowed his eyes and sped toward the battle, remembering to give an order. "Chunqiu, scan the terrain and find a good place to hide."
"Demon Island Vine, if anything happens, go all out. Don't hold back!"
"Yes," the two replied in unison.
A red glow flashed across the sky. A fierce gust of wind rushed toward him, followed by an explosion. Lightning writhed like serpents and slammed into the ground.
Chen Beixun stopped at the sight, concealed his presence, and watched from a distance. Two figures repeatedly clashed, giving off a strange golden light.
Hidden behind a boulder, Chen Beixun calmly assessed the situation.
"Emperor Ta and Emperor Mu."
"Isn't Emperor Mu being a little too cautious? Why? He could clearly kill Emperor Ta outright." Chen Beixun frowned and quietly watched them.
Fortunately, Chen Beixun was skilled at concealing himself, and Demon Island Vine was helping him stay hidden. Otherwise, under Emperor Mu's Domain Lord-level telepathic power, he would have had nowhere to hide.
"Both of the strongest ones are right here. I could just have Demon Island Vine attack." Chen Beixun rubbed his chin, then reconsidered. "I should gather information first. Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll never be defeated."
"I'll take the safest approach and avoid any complications." He focused on the fierce battle between Emperor Mu and Emperor Ta in the distance.
"Not bad, Emperor Ta," Emperor Mu said, looking at him with a mocking smile.
After fighting for a while, Emperor Ta naturally sensed that something was wrong. A foreboding feeling settled over him.
"Something's off. I've never fought this guy before, but I had a general idea of his strength." The more Emperor Ta thought about it, the more alarmed he became. "Could he have broken through to the Undying Realm?!"
Though Emperor Ta was shocked, he wouldn't let it show. He spoke arrogantly. "You're not bad yourself."
Emperor Mu gave a scornful laugh. "You need to train more, Emperor Ta." But inwardly, he thought, "I still have to control Ancient Emperor Suanjiang. There are plenty of ancient emperor powerhouses nearby, so it wouldn't be wise to reveal myself recklessly. If I let Ancient Emperor Suanjiang escape, things will get difficult."
"After I go to Center Island and collect the treasures, I'll control Ancient Emperor Suanjiang and leave this place... Heh. Before I go, I'll settle the score."
Emperor Ta's gaze darkened. "I don't have time to keep wasting it here with you." Then he turned into a streak of purple lightning and fled.
Seeing the two about to leave, Chen Beixun frowned deeply. He realized he couldn't wait any longer. The boulder before him exploded, and he no longer concealed his killing intent. He shouted, "Demon Island Vine!"
A hundred crimson vines shot into the sky, blotting out the sun like dragons riding the wind as they soared ninety thousand li.
Emperor Ta and Emperor Mu both turned around, and the sight made them jump in fright.
"That strange vine of Ancient Emperor Suanjiang's!" Emperor Ta exclaimed, then sped up to escape.
Demon Island Vine lunged at them with a bizarre burst of speed and blocked their way.
Emperor Ta abruptly twisted around, nearly colliding with Demon Island Vine. He groaned inwardly. "How did this vine reach the Undying Realm?!"
In moments, Demon Island Vine's vines wove together into a canopy that covered the entire area.
Green flames rose from Emperor Ta's body as he braced himself for a fight.
Emperor Mu looked distressed. Gripping his long saber in both hands, he sent a voice transmission. "Emperor Ta, let's join forces!"
"Get lost!" Emperor Ta roared.
Emperor Mu frowned slightly and cursed inwardly. "What's with him? Why's he throwing a fit at a time like this?"
Emperor Ta glanced at Emperor Mu and amplified his voice with telekinetic power. "Ancient Emperor Suanjiang, we have no grudge between us. Why do this?"
His only answer was two Tianqu Cone flying wheels slicing through the air. Emperor Ta's eyes widened in fury. A long spear appeared in his hand, and he swung it like willow branches fluttering in the wind, knocking the Tianqu Cone flying wheels aside.
Blue flames flared from the technological wings on Emperor Ta's back. In almost an instant, he was in front of Chen Beixun, thrusting his spear at him.
With Demon Island Vine here, how could Emperor Ta get away with that? It arrived in an instant and lashed at him, but Emperor Ta's figure blurred into afterimages as he dodged the attack.
"So fast! That's practically teleportation!" Chen Beixun exclaimed. Several Demon Island Vine tendrils extended behind him and formed a protective barrier around him.
All at once—
Space warped slightly, as if a black hole had appeared out of nowhere, swallowing matter.
Emperor Mu looked up at the canopy woven from Demon Island Vine's tendrils. A black dot at its center was drawing in matter. His face instantly turned ashen. "What is that?"
He looked toward Emperor Ta. Ta was desperately trying to escape the pull. His body gradually twisted out of shape, then vanished.
"Is Emperor Ta dead?"
Emperor Mu's gaze turned cold. He first dodged Demon Island Vine's sudden attack by twisting aside.
Then he raised his saber and hacked at the incoming vines.
In an instant, sparks flew like countless little green snakes scattering in every direction. They turned into innumerable spheres of lightning that rampaged wildly.
Emperor Mu flicked his hand, and the lightning spheres brightened, their white light nearly swallowing the canopy formed by Demon Island Vine's tendrils.
The tendrils near Emperor Mu gradually blurred in the white light, then disappeared. When the light faded, they reappeared as little more than outlined ash.
Though the attacks were fierce, Demon Island Vine had tenacious vitality and quickly recovered.
Demon Island Vine's tendrils shrank to the size of bowls. Its 78 main vines worked together to trap, strangle, and bind Emperor Mu. Gripping his long saber, Emperor Mu hacked wildly. Each strike carried a hint of the Origin Law of Thunder, hitting the vines with a tremendous clash.
Every one of Emperor Mu's moves was sharp, swift, powerful, and ruthless.
Purple lightning bolts surged from the ground into the sky and struck Demon Island Vine. Even a hundred kilometers away, the air reeked of burning. The attacks were so mighty that thunder crashed without end.
Emperor Mu's figure flickered unpredictably, leaving behind afterimages that crackled with stray lightning.
Chen Beixun sat cross-legged. The nine crystals in his sea of consciousness trembled violently, and he guided them into position.
The nine crystals formed the Nine Star Formation: nine above, arranged for all-out offense, with no defense.
"Go!" Chen Beixun's gaze turned cold. The crystals shot forward without a sound. Emperor Mu was startled, then shouted, "Get away!"
His movements slowed at once.
In battle, a single instant could decide the outcome. Under cover of the other vines, one of Demon Island Vine's tendrils ambushed Emperor Mu and wrapped tightly around his arm. Like a crocodile, it performed a death roll and ripped his arm clean off. Blood sprayed everywhere.
Emperor Mu's gaze turned cold. He swung his long saber at the vine without pause. The blade flashed like a comet, slicing a tiny crack in space that quickly closed again. Several vines in front of him were chopped into millions of tiny pieces.
He took a black sphere from his Space Ring, shoved it into the stump of his arm, then slammed it with the saber's hilt. His arm instantly regenerated, and his aura surged.
"Damn it, his level is far above mine! My attacks barely affect him." Chen Beixun clenched his fist and punched the ground, sending countless grains of sand flying.
The battle gradually reached a stalemate. Emperor Mu's saber techniques were formidable, and Demon Island Vine's regenerative ability was terrifying. Emperor Mu wanted nothing more than to kill Chen Beixun, but escaping was no longer important to him.
His life was on the line!
But Demon Island Vine's attacks never let up. If he slowed even slightly, he would be done for.
"I need to think of something," Chen Beixun thought.
"His saber techniques are fierce. For now, I should keep up a relentless barrage and wear him down."
"That's it! I'll just wear him to death!"
"And this guy's been hiding his strength so well!" Chen Beixun furrowed his brows.
This was the most difficult opponent Demon Island Vine had faced so far.